Vail Valley Voices: Blog showdown looms in Eagle

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Before the last Eagle Town Board meeting, the town manager search subcommittee met with hired consultant Gary Suiter to finalize the application. This was a short but productive meeting, as the application and advertising are now complete. You can check out the application at www.townofeagle.org.

After missing my first meeting in some time, it was great to be back at 200 Broadway even though the seats were not packed and the mayor was absent.

Approval of the meeting minutes was first up as usual followed by public comment. This consisted of former Trustee and Mayor Roxie Deane educating this trustee on the Colorado conflict of interest law while asking the purpose of my blog, which has once again come under fire. In deference to the mayor's request, my response to this and other issues about me brought up during the meeting I missed will be done at the Dec. 11 hearing.

Next up was more budget discussion. First were several community requests presentations, including the Eagle County Historical Society's project of putting informative plaques around town, NRC Broadcasting's sixth annual Family Fun Fair, Walking Mountains Science Center, and the Vail Valley Partnership. Although it was open to such, there was no public comment on the 2013 budget.

The Brush Creek Saloon's liquor license was then discussed after being continued from the last meeting. This was a lengthy conversation, consisting of a police report and a representative speaking to his efforts in reducing incidents.

After that was approved by the board, there were the discussion items including the intergovernmental agreement with CDOT for the Eby Creek Road improvements; preliminary design of a proposed bus shelter presented by Trustee Turnipseed, who is providing the design pro bono; and then a presentation by Donna Spinelli (who also serves on the town Planning and Zoning Commission) regarding the Main Street Program.

Once the listed agenda items were complete, the town manager provided an outline of principal budget changes that had been discussed or done since the first budget was drafted, along with a few decision items. These changes included a slight adjustment in some revenue estimates, additional money for unused vacation time for both the town manager and town clerk, and an additional $20,000 for the manager search process.

The board will receive a final draft of the budget before the hearing on Dec. 11. And we as a group will also have plenty of time to consider a code of conduct some think is needed because of this very recap and my blog. If you want to hear this great discussion that might touch on the First Amendment, consider coming to the next hearing.